Because art doesn't just hang on walls, it builds things. Communities, connections, second chances. Pontiac taught me that.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
Documentary photography that invites participation. My project Pontiac Rising isn't just me behind a lens, it's an open call for anyone to walk through a city in transformation, capture what they see, and discover something creative in themselves they didn't know was there. I love the moment someone picks up a camera for the first time and realizes they have an eye for it. That's when photography stops being my art and starts being ours.
Where do you find inspiration?In the tension between what's falling apart and what's being rebuilt. I was born in Pontiac, Michigan, a city that built the cars America drove before the factories closed and the buildings emptied. In 2025, they demolished the Phoenix Center, a venue that had been splitting downtown in half for 40 years. When the dust clears the city's main street will be whole again. That's where I find inspiration, in the exact moment a place decides it's not done yet.
What would you do with $25,000?Fund the next phase of Pontiac Rising, gallery installations, free workshops for residents to document their own neighborhoods, and a digital platform to share their work. This project invites the world to come experience what Pontiac has to offer, art as the reason people visit, creativity as economic engine. And if this model works for one city, imagine how many cities could rise together. Art isn't decoration, it's infrastructure.
Vote for Steve Legaci to become The People's Artist while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting The Art of Elysium in their mission to use art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges.
Register now for your opportunity to appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display your artwork at The Art of Elysium's Salon.
Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like The People's Artist, Colossal offers participants the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact.
